Nieng Arp
| Nieng Arp | |
|---|---|
 theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Kam Chanty |
| Produced by | Kam Chanty |
| Written by | Kam Chanty |
| Starring | Dan Monika Sovan Makar |
| Distributed by | FCI production Cambodia |
| Release date(s) | August 24, 2004 |
| Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | Cambodia |
| Language | Khmer |
| Budget | 9000 $ |
Nieng Arp(Khmer:អាប) with international title as Lady Vampire also known as Vampire and Bodyless is a 2004 Cambodian horror film. The film features upon the religion and belief of domestic folklore about Krasue which present in common around Southeast Asia.
Directed by a khmer-born director who took some training in Thailand, Kam Chanthy. The film has been made a huge attention from khmer audience and successfully led a new wave to local film industry, became a hit thriller in its release year.
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[edit] Plot
In the middle of a long night, a young woman and her boyfriend are confronted by a group of gangsters on their way home. The girl is then violently raped and her lover is killed under the brutal action of the cruel gangsters. During her loss of consciousness, she later is possessed by an old witch because the saliva of a witch's head accidentally dropped on her mouth, which suddenly made her part of the next generation of krasue. After becoming a krasue, she takes vengeance on the gang that raped her.
A group of students come to her house and discover her true identity by unlocking several secrets in the basement under her lonely villa. This leads them to be killed one by one according to their fault on Krasue. However, all of the victims seem to be guys and the survivors likely know the girl. A male survivor escapes and finds a new way to get rid of the evil spirit of Krasue as well as be able to save his lover who was the Krasue's daughter and would be the next to become one.
[edit] Critical reception
With a low community for Khmer film dustry with sometimes mutes, there is a only review for the film can be illustrate to public. The Fright site criticed the film for their topic Leaks, Penanggalans and Krasues, Oh My! with quiet positive as very much in the throat-ripping tradition of Mystics in Bali and Krasue, and the film is all the better for it.The review stronly praised the camera work and the lighting by using the word superb to define. However, the main problem has got to be the special effect who previously suffered in comparison of international standard.[1]. In addition, t December 5, Rankopedia website, listed Cambodia on 20th out of 25th for Country that currently creates the scariest Horror movies with Nieng Arp appeared as the top film for Cambodia followed by The Forest, Villa Horror, The Snake King's Child and finally Secret Well.[2].
[edit] Box office
This film is considered to be the first successful Khmer horror films in recent years, having grossed over $100,000 solely from the six movie theatres in Phnom Penh. According to some reports, tickets were sold out during the opening weekend, accompanied by thousands of late viewers creating traffic jams on the streets. It set a local box office record by running for almost three months.
In the DVD version, the film consists of two discs with no special features or scene selection.[3] English subtitles were included on a DVD release for foreign audiences.
[edit] Special effects
For the special effects, It confirmed a low teah with nondigital effect. a doll's head with pig intestines shoved inside was used to make the Krasue's head. It wasn't realistic but the film's sound effects caused many viewers to scream indeed.
[edit] Origins
The krasue (or Kra-Sue) is part of Southeast Asian mythology and the folklore of Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and Thailand. It is the floating head of a vampiric female ghost. Intestines trail from the neck. In Laos, the Krasue is called Pi-Kasu while Cambodia called Arp and Malaysia called Penanggalan In Khmer ghost story, Arp was a complete person which removed its head at night to fly across the rice fields in search of sustenance, usually blood.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ "Leaks, Penanggalans and Krasues, Oh My!:". Fright. http://www.fright.com/edge/leaks___.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
- ^ "Country that currently creates the scariest Horror movies.". Rankopedia. http://www.rankopedia.com/ZoneID=3/3772/Country-that-currently-creates-the-scariest-Horror-movies./Step1/14086.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
- ^ a b "Arb-vampire:". khmer.org. http://khmer.org/product/0,prod,0,0,0,2516,0.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-13.
